1 Corinthians 10:23 – 11:2 Bible Teaching

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1st Corinthians 10:23-end
July 29th 2018
MILK
Heart in the Parking Lot and Weiner Roast
Before we begin today in our verse by verse there is something that I have not addressed simply because it is a loaded, even an emotional, topic. It was brought up last week by Patrick and ever since it has been bouncing around in my head.
To whom do we pray? Because of Creedal Trinitarianism established by Man as a summary of the make-up of God AND because of the modern Jesus movement, MANY people pray to Jesus, to the Father, and even to the Holy Spirit. Some pray to all three, some to one or the other, and some are stuck on one representative and pray only to Him – whether it be the Father, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit.

The topic troubles me – and perhaps it shouldn’t. It might bug me because of the religious tradition in which I was raised who only prayed to the Father. And so I have tried to be open in my answers to people who pray to the Holy Spirit and/or to Jesus. But there is something in my that sort of cringes when I hear people pray to the Holy Spirit and even to Jesus.
So, I did what we do when we have issues – I went to the scripture for understanding. In the first place, when we pray we are often seeking something. So I had to ask: Who gives us everything?
Does Jesus give us everything or the Holy Spirit or does God the Father? James tells us, saying in James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
So, I think it is clear that when we are seeking for something from above, that the giver of all things is God the FATHER.
JESUS SAID HIMSELF
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he (the Father, the giver of all gifts) will give it you.”

Then in John 11:22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

John 16:30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Then, when it comes to prayer, we often incorporate the opportunity to thank. But who are we thanking? In our day and age thanking Jesus is common (due to trinitarianism and to the modern Jesus culture) but again, what does scripture say?

I’m gonna read some passages to you. Strip out YOUR reasoning and logic and just hear what scripture presents:

In Acts 27:35 And when Jesus had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

Romans 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks

1s Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2nd Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

2nd Corinthians 8:16 But thanks be to God, which put the same earnest care into the heart of Titus for you.

2nd Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Colossians 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

1st Thessalonians 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

1st Thessalonians 3:9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;

1st Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

2nd Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

And finally, Revelation 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

Nowhere do we ever read of an instance where we are to ask Jesus or the Holy Spirit anything or where we are to thank Jesus or the Holy Spirit for anything – ever.

It is always asking and thanking God IN JESUS name. And so, I would submit to you that this is the most biblical directive we’ve got – so it is probably the best.

Some may say, “Well hasn’t God placed all things in Jesus Christ hands, giving everything over to Him?”

Yes. That is what scripture says. But this does not seem to remove God the Father of Lights and the Giver of all gifts from the mix. He is still God Almighty (and has been from eternity) and in Revelations description of the New Heaven and earth He and the Lamb are present (somehow) in the New Jerusalem.

Now quickly, there are two passages of scripture – out of all I just laid out – that are used to justify praying to Jesus. I want to point out that I just read twenty clear passages that lay out, without equivocation, to whom we pray.

But in time, and in the face of cultural sway, we have allowed what seem like two exceptions to step in and cause many to pray to Jesus.

The first is in John 20 where Jesus confronts Thomas post resurrection. You know the story.

John 20:27 “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.”

Because Thomas admits to Jesus that he recognizes Him as Lord AND God – and because Jesus does NOT correct Thomas makes many people think that this is evidence of being able to pray to Jesus.

OF a truth, Thomas was witnessing to the fact that Jesus was God with Him. Of a truth, Jesus was to be worshipped. And if we want to push it, since we DO pray to God, and Thomas calls Jesus God, then it seems okay to pray to Jesus.

But the fact of the matter is while God was fully in and with Jesus of Nazareth, it was God IN Him, and if we pray to Jesus because of this, we might as well pray to the Father in Jesus name – as scripture more than abundantly directs us to do.

In other words, I’m not sure that recognizing that it was God in Jesus of Nazareth is reason enough to offer all our prayers up to Him instead of the Father.

The second example people use to prove its right to pray to Jesus is in Acts 7 when Stephen is being stoned. We read:

Act 7:56 And (Stephen) said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord,
58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul.
59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Interestingly, in the King James it reads:

59 And (as) they stoned Stephen, he calling upon God, and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

But the line, “he calling upon God was certainly added as it is not found in ANY manuscripts! This fact seems to support the direct idea that Stephan here was praying to Jesus.

But I want to point out a few things here:

Stephen was in vision – like John was in vision in the book of Revelation – and for Him to speak to Jesus would be expected.
Add in that Stephen would have recognized the Man Jesus where the glory of God may not have been as readily identifiable for Him, this helps to explain His talking to Jesus here.
And by the way, that is what he is doing – in vision – talking in vision to a being he recognized.
Throughout scripture when followers of Jesus found themselves in trouble they would speak to Jesus for help. But the scripture makes it clear, we ask God IN JESUS NAME for all things. He is the giver of all gifts and Jesus is the mediator between God and Man. To miss this or jump over this point seems improper to me.

Okay . . . onward, Christian soldiers.

So, Paul has been speaking about eating of meats – again. At verse 23 he enters into a more advanced discussion on the topic and begins by saying:

1st Corinthians 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.
25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
26 For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.
27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:
29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?
30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

So he’s been talking about eating and the unity that comes through it – whether it be the prescribed eating and drinking of the communion elements or the eating of meats offered to idols.

At this point he says (as if prefaced by a – Hey, look . . .)

23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

Now remember the context – He has been talking about what he did relative to eating meats offered to idols.

We have to decide if verse 23 has application to EVERYTHING under the Sun or if he is speaking specifically about all things related to what he ate.

I would actually further suggest that when Paul says:

“All things are lawful for me” that we too, can say the same thing and then define for ourselves the parameters of what this actually means.

In other words, when I repeat Paul’s words and say that “all things are lawful for me,” I know that for me that there are some exclusions to this “all” that I recite – because it is not lawful for me to hurt a child, or to abuse an elderly person, or to take methamphetine. I just can’t do it.

So the all, applied to myself, does not mean all. And I doubt that this is what it meant to Paul either.

Subjectively applied, however, we are all capable of creating for ourselves a list of what we allow and this verse serves as a great guideline for such a list.

For instance, I have no problem drinking a large sum of tequila, or seeing an R rated movie, or saying a well placed F bomb when needed.

I feel no compunction in them.

But . . . what Paul says really helps with this freedom I personally possess:

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

The Greek terms for expedient and edify are respectfully, “sumphero for expedient and oikodomeo for edifying.

Sumphero means to collect and is best understood in the sense of “we have collected so much our efforts were profitable. So all things are lawful but all things are not profitable.

I love this general observation. Is my drinking a large quantity of tequila profitable? Rarely. Except for the moment, perhaps.

The translated to edify here in the King James version

Then, is my drinking a large sum of tequila “edifying?” Oi-ko-dom-eo – frankly, does it build?

All things are lawful but are all things which I might openly allow profitable and do they build?

Again, to context. My drinking large sums of tequilla might be profitable to my flesh in terms of escape, and it might build my reputation among bar-flys as a fun guy, but what do these liberties do for my spiritual strength and relationship with God?

If nothing, that’s on result, if damage, that’s another, right?

Paul of course has said this in the context of eating meats sacrificed to idols, so while we might admit that it was totally lawful to partake of such meat there were strong reasons why it was not profitable and would have the opposite of building people up in their relationship with God.

This causes Paul to add a clarifying verse that really puts the whole bit of advice in verse 23 in line, saying at verse 24:

24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.

What a concept, right, that was fully illustrated by the life teachings and style of the Lord Jesus Christ who did NOT seek His own benefit (as offered Him in the wilderness temptations) but instead sought another’s wealth (namely, the glory of God and the human race).

The idea of self-love has been bouncing around my head for a while through some fortuitous interviews I have had the opportunity to be involved with lately.

In every case, verse 24 – if lived by the participants surrounding the interview – would have alleviated the need for an interview in the first place.

There was a man who molested his children. If only he had sought the wealth of his children over his own.

And its pretty much the same story of in every human issue we face on earth today!

Instead of selfishness we strive for selflessness – and the world would be a much brighter place – not heaven, because of disease and death – but certainly much more livable and accommodating.

Back to the issue at hand – the eating of meat offered to idols, Paul adds:

25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:

Remember, the meat of animals offered in sacrifice would be offered up for sale in the markets.

Paul says that it might be purchased, since the mere fact that it had been offered in sacrifice didn’t change its quality or render it unfit for use.

But his point seems to be more to the fact that they ought to abstain from attending on the feasts of the idols in the temple, from partaking of meat that had been offered them, and from celebrations observed expressly in honor of idols – for all the reasons expressed last week.

“Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:

Meaning, don’t hesitate or doubt relative to its purity or corruption. That which is purchased should be in itself lawful and right. And he adds a fantastic line – verse 26:

26 For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.

This is a quote from Psalm 24:1 and then also Psalm 50:12 and Deuteronomy 10:14.

Paul uses it here as a reason why it is right to partake of the meat offered in the market. It all belongs to the Lord. It does not really belong to the idol, even though it has been offered to it. It may, therefore, be partaken of as his gift, and should be received with gratitude.

The EARTH is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, (or all that the earth produces belongs to him).

Such a stance allows us to step back from fear and “forbiddeness” of things the earth provides and just relax. Nothing is unclean unto itself.

If it is harmful to us and our constitution we avoid it in the liberty of being a creation. If it is permissible in our bodies and lives, we enjoy and leave all others to their right to the same.

He causes it to grow; and he has given it to be food for man; and though it may have been devoted to an idol, yet its nature is not changed. It is still the gift of God; still the production of his hand; still the fruit of his goodness and love.

Now, at this point I want to reiterate a couple passages that we have read today:

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

Cross-referenced with

“Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth.”

And we have a summary of all that Paul is saying – especially in the next several verses – which we will read all at once because at verse 27 he gives some direct advice to them in that day saying:

27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:
29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?
30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

So, having firmly re-established that there is total liberty in Christ, but responsibility toward things that edify and build, Paul gets specific and says at verse 27

If any of them (those who are heathen/pagans that worship false gods in temples) if any of them that believe not (in Christ Jesus) bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go (Which I would suggest means are disposed to go due to the influence of duty or by the Spirit); whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

In other words, don’t pull the religion card on the host. Be a witness of freedom in love to all.

But then he adds an exception to this stance, saying:

28 But if any man say unto you, (presumably, because Paul says any man say to you, he does not mean the host but perhaps some other guest – perhaps a believer) If any man say to you: “This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, (who pointed it out) and for conscience sake: (then at this point in the King James we read a repetition of the passage quoted from Psalm that says): for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof:

Now, when I first read this passage the suffix of the Psalm passage did not flow in my mind.

I later learned that the line is not included in many MSS – including the Vulgate, Syriac, Coptic, and Arabic versions.

Bible scholar Grotius says that they should be removed from the text.

If they shouldn’t be then the sense might be, “There doesn’t seem to be any reason you MUST eat the food – God has provided other foods a plenty to consume – so don’t worry about rejecting this in the name of other’s sensitivities.

But to me it seems like the line shouldn’t even be there and there is some evidence to support this. The fact that this last line was added is even more supported by the first word of verse 29.

Let me read them together:

28 But if any man say unto you, “This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, (and for conscience sake: (remove the line – verse 29):

“Conscience, (the last word he used being referred to again here) 29 Conscience I say, not thine own, but of the other:

In other words, when Paul says, “for conscience sake, I mean do this for the OTHER persons conscience and not your own because your own would have allowed you to eat the meat.

So again – putting the needs of the other ahead of your own. And then he adds a most difficult line relative to context, saying:

“for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?”

The trouble with it is it seems completely contradictory to what the apostle had been saying about respecting other people consciences ahead of their own.
Why (or how) is my liberty (to eat meat or do other things) judged of another man’s conscience? He strangely askes. I mean he had been urging them to have respect to other men’s consciences, and in some sense to give up their liberty to the opinions and feelings of others. But now adds a line that seems to say the exact opposite thing.

The opinions on what he might have meant are all over the place and therefore not easy to discern the reality.

However, I would gently suggest that what Paul is saying is something like this:

Do what is beneficial for others conscience and nobody can judge your reasons for doing this.

In other words, suppose you are a but of a wine drinker and all of your friends know you as such.

But you attend an event and a new Christian tells you as you reach for a bottle from Diabolical Vineyards –

“That wine was made by Satanists” and you choose to respect this believers opinion, your wine drinking friends have no right to judge your decision to refrain from drinking wine that night.

The problem with this view is it is NOT supported by the next verse, where Paul, continuing on the thought, says:

30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

Taking this verse into context, then all we can really say is in the last line of verse appears to simply be Paul returning to the idea that TO partake in anything is a matter between the individual and God, (exceptions noted) and that is why he says in the last line:

“for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?” and then verse 30
“For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?” (And then 31) Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”

All of these verses simply serve to reiterate the liberty and freedoms all believers have in the things they choose to do because of the Grace of God afforded by the work of Christ.

And I think we will stop here – and get ready to water baptize and eat!

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